National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Region Boston, Massachusetts Management Plans For Invasive Plant Species of Acadia National Park Natural Resources Report NPS/NER/NRR--2007/018 ON THE COVER (Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii, fruiting branch) Photograph by: Jill Weber Management Plans For Invasive Plant Species of Acadia National Park Natural Resources Report NPS/NER/NRR--2007/018 Jill E. Weber and Sally C. Rooney 9 Cedar Avenue Bar Harbor, ME 04609 84 Horseshoe Lane Sedgwick, ME 04676 December 2007 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Northeast Region Boston, Massachusetts The Northeast Region of the National Park Service (NPS) comprises national parks and related areas in 13 New England and Mid-Atlantic states. The diversity of parks and their resources are reflected in their designations as national parks, seashores, historic sites, recreation areas, military parks, memorials, and rivers and trails. Biological, physical, and social science research results, natural resource inventory and monitoring data, scientific literature reviews, bibliographies, and proceedings of technical workshops and conferences related to these park units are disseminated through the NPS/NER Technical Report (NRTR) and Natural Resources Report (NRR) series. The reports are a continuation of series with previous acronyms of NPS/PHSO, NPS/MAR, NPS/BOS-RNR, and NPS/NERBOST. Individual parks may also disseminate information through their own report series. Natural Resources Reports are the designated medium for information on technologies and resource management methods; "how to" resource management papers; proceedings of resource management workshops or conferences; and natural resource program descriptions and resource action plans. Technical Reports are the designated medium for initially disseminating data and results of biological, physical, and social science research that addresses natural resource management issues; natural resource inventories and monitoring activities; scientific literature reviews; bibliographies; and peer-reviewed proceedings of technical workshops, conferences, or symposia. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the National Park Service. This report was accomplished under Cooperative Agreement 1443CA4520-A-0024 with assistance from the NPS. The statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report are solely those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Reports in these series are produced in limited quantities and, as long as the supply lasts, may be obtained by sending a request to the address on the back cover. When original quantities are exhausted, copies may be requested from the NPS Technical Information Center (TIC), Denver Service Center, PO Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225- 0287. A copy charge may be involved. To order from TIC, refer to document D-340. This report may also be available as a downloadable portable document format file from the Internet at http://www.nps.gov/nero/science/. Please cite this publication as: Weber, J. E. and S.C. Rooney. December 2007. Management Plans For Invasive Plant Species of Acadia National Park. Natural Resources Report NPS/NER/NRR--2007/018. National Park Service. Boston, MA. NPS D-340 December 2007 Table of Contents Page Figures ……………………………………………………………………….…..….….. iv Tables ……………………………………………….………………………………........ v Appendixes ………………………………………….…………………..………...……. vi Abstract …………………………………………………..………..…………………… vii Executive Summary ……………………………………..………………………..…… viii Acknowledgments …………………………………………………………....………… xi Introduction ………………………………………………………………….……...…… 1 Study Area ………………………………………………………………….……………. 3 Methods ……………….………………………………………………….……………… 5 Results …………………………………………………………………….………….….. 5 General …………………………………..……………………….……………… 5 Threats to Natural Areas …………………………………………...……………. 6 Management Goals …………………………………………….………….…….. 6 Recommended Treatment Methods ……………………………….…………….. 8 Data Management …………………………………………………...….……… 11 Discussion ………………………………………………………..……….…….……… 11 Management Goals …………………………………………………………….. 11 Recommended Treatment Methods ………………………..…………….….…. 15 Data Management …………………………………………..……….….……… 16 Invasives Management by Site …………………………………………..…….. 16 Parkwide Perspective …………….………………………….…………………. 19 Recommendations .………………………………..…………….………..…………….. 20 Management Goals ………………………………………….………..………... 20 Recommended Treatment Methods ………………………….…………...……. 20 Data Management ………………………………………….……….……..…… 20 Invasives Management by Site …………………………….…………………… 20 Parkwide Perspective ……………………………………..…….…….…………21 Literature Cited …………………………………………………………….…………... 22 iii Figures Page Figure 1. Locator Map for study area …………………………………………….……… 4 Figure 2. Sample invasives documentation data sheet …………………………...…….. 12 Figure 3. Sample invasive plant monitoring data sheet …………………………..……. 13 Figure 4. Sample invasive plant management documentation data sheet ………..……. 14 iv Tables Page Table 1. Summary of threat posed by invasive plant species as reported in published literature …………………………………………….……….………..………. 7 Table 2. Summary of management goals for invasive species of Acadia National Park ………………………………………………………………………..…...………... 9 Table 3. Summary of recommended treatment methods for invasive species of Acadia National Park ……………………………………………………..……………. 10 Table 4. Sites that harbor numerous invasive species at Acadia National Park ………………………………………………………………………………..…… 18 v Appendixes Page Appendix A. Management Plans for Invasive Species in Study ……………………….. 26 Appendix B. Invasive Potential of Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) at Acadia National Park ……………………………………………………..……………………. 112 Appendix C. Purple Loosestrife Action Plan ……………………….…………………. 123 vi Abstract The main objective of the current work was to develop management plans for the most problematic invasive species at Acadia National Park (ACAD). Plans describe each species’ abundance at ACAD; background information regarding habitat and species biology; goals of management; methods used for control, as reported in the literature or in use by other agencies; experimental treatments and recommended monitoring protocols for managed populations. Plans were written for 22 species: Amur maple (Acer ginnala) Norway maple (Acer platanoides) Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) Barberries (Berberis X ottawensis, B. thunbergii, B. vulgaris) European bittercress (Cardamine impatiens) Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculata) Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) Alder-leaved buckthorn (Frangula alnus) Shrubby St. Johnswort (Hypericum prolificum) Non-native honeysuckle species (Lonicera spp. and L. japonica) Privet (Ligustrum spp.) Forest woodrush (Luzula luzuloides) Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) Bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara). Eradication, prevention of spread, public education, reduction in area and/or number of individuals and prevention of seed production are goals identified in the plans. Recommended control methods are: pulling/digging; removal of flowers/fruits; mowing/cutting; applying glyphosate (cut stem or foliar); and applying triclopyr (cut stem or foliar). The report also discusses data management and invasives management from a whole park, rather than species by species perspective. Recommendations for priority actions are included. vii Executive Summary About 5,000 non-native plant species have become established in natural systems in the US. As of 1998, approximately 700,000 ha/yr were being invaded by non-native plant species, which can outcompete native species for habitat, light or nutrients, resulting in the natives’ displacement or elimination (Pimentel et al. 1999). In addition to changing species composition, invasive plants can change the ecology of an entire system. It is estimated that 35-49% of all threatened and endangered species are impacted by invasives. In addition to the ecological costs, invasives have a significant economic impact: recent calculations suggest that the costs of damage caused by and control of non-native plant and animal species amount to $138 billion/year in the US (Pimental et al. 1999). Many introduced plant species affect public lands. It is common for non-native plant species to comprise about 25% of the total flora on an NPS unit and, in some parks, over 50% of the plant species are exotic species. Executive Order #13112 mandates that managers of public lands manage invasive species (Federal Registry 64[25]: 6183-6186). The National Park Service has developed additional policies that require eradication efforts if invasive species interfere with natural processes (NPS 1999, 2006). Response to the mandate among NPS units has been varied, ranging from parks with decades-old invasives control programs, to those where inventory of exotic plants is just beginning. In the last decade the trend has been for Parks to develop plans that follow an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, which includes identification of: priority species, best management methods, action thresholds, monitoring methods and evaluation of treatment effectiveness. Acadia National Park (ACAD) has long supported botanical inventory work, and invasive non- native plant species occurrences were documented